A multi-method approach to quality control illustrated on the industrial powder coating process

Abstract

Industrial powder coating processes offer a unique object of application for rheometers.Compared to classic coating procedures with liquid materials, powder coating is still a relatively young procedure. First industrial applications date back to the mid-1960s. Since then these applications have considerably increased, which can be mainly attributed to the desire for more environment-friendly coating systems. The powder coating process is dependent on one end on pneumatic conveyance behavior, namely the transport as a dense fluidized phase of powder and the associated bulk solid values, on the other end on bulk polymer behavior to determine and keep constant the curing point at which the applied powder bonds and produces an (ideally) smooth surface. This multivariant process is an ideal object of quality control for the MCR rheometers and two accessories: the Powder Cell and a disposable Plate–Plate Geometry with Peltier heated hood (P-PTD200, H-PTD200).In this work we will show the influence of both artificial aging behavior as well as flow aids on the powder flow properties (collapsed and fluidized) as well as the melting and polymerization steps and show a way to optimize processes utilizing this complex system.